Vt. Lt. Governor Candidates Disagree On Issues, Politely

Cassandra
Gekas and Phil Scott may be two of the most polite candidates running for
statewide office. In fact, during a debate on VPR's Vermont Edition Wednesday,
Scott expressed unease with having to challenge his opponent directly as Gekas
smiled and laughed in agreement.

But
there are important differences between the two that were highlighted in the debate. Gekas, running as a Progressive/Democrat,
fully supports Governor Peter Shumlin's single payer approach to health care,
while the Republican incumbent is more hesitant. Scott says he needs more of
the details, like a fully fleshed out funding mechanism, before he can
determine his position.

Both
candidates support renewable energy, but Scott would like a two-year moratorium
on industrial wind permits, while Gekas thinks wind is an important part of our
energy portfolio.

Gekas
supports legislation on death with dignity, sometimes called physician-assisted
suicide. Scott opposes it for personal reasons.

The
lieutenant governor has a limited role in state government, presiding over the
Senate and filling in for the governor. So, voters also need to feel confident
in each candidate's leadership potential. During the debate, they spelled out
their qualifications.

"I've served as lieutenant governor over the
past two years," said Scott. "I've spent 120 days acting governor. I've been ten
years in the Senate. I've been a business owner for over 30. I've been a father
for over 25 and a Vermonter for over 50. So I think there are a number of
ways."

Cassandra
Gekas, who is running for office for the first time, pointed to her experience
as a lobbyist and advocate. "I've spent the past ten years working really with
all levels of state government and local programs," she stressed. "So I
understand how they work on the ground, how they work behind the scenes,
understand the nuts and bolts of lawmaking, and the politics that go along with
it all and have done that really well under high-pressure situations, which I
think is really important if you need to step in as governor."

Voters
will determine whose qualifications they prefer on November 6th.